Show-case.



P. THOMPSON.

SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1908.

908,710. I Patented Ja.11.5,1909.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2. v a

" r za Snveutoz R 797" Tim 63m,

PETER THOMPSON, OF' EL GAMPO, TEXAS.

SHOW-CASE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ran. 5, 1909.

Application filed April 22, 1908. Serial No. 428,663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER THQMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Campo, in the county of Wharton, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Show-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact'description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in show-cases, and it resides, generally, in the provision of a show-case which includes a sliding bowed door located at the front portion 'thereof and operated from behind by the dealer, to permit a customer to gain access to the interior of the case for the purpose of making his selection from the goods displayed therewithin.

In dealing in certain classes of goods, cigars, for example, it is ordinarily customary for the dealer to pick up a handful of cigars from the-box indicated by the purchaser and place the same upon the top of the case, the purchaser then choosing one or more cigars therefrom; this method, however, is objectionable in that the cigars become of necessity injured to a certain extent on being removed from and replaced in the case, and furthermore on being replaced, are

frequently returned to the wrong boxes.

The present invention, therefore, aims primarily to overcome these objections -'by providing a show-case in which the sliding front door permits access to the interior of the case and thus enables the purchaser to make his selection directly from the stock contained therein.

M0re especially, the inyention resides in the specific construction of the supporting members to which the sliding door is attached at its opposite ends; in the particular device employed for opening and closing the door; and in the provision of catches adapted for engagement with said dooroperating device, to lock the door both in its open and in its closed position.

- The invention still further resides in the provision of a, show-case of the above speci- 7 ed type which is exceedingly simple its construction and is possessed of the requisite strength, durability and efliciency, and may drawings in which corresponding parts or features, as the case may be, are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the several views, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the im' proved show-case, with the sliding door partly open. Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough, showing the operating lever; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the back and one of the ends of the case. Fig. 4c is-a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the wheels to which the ends of the door are attached. Fig. 6 is an, enlarged fragmental detail view of one of the levers and the catch carried thereby.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,'l designates the base of the case, 2 and 3 its end walls, 4 its rear wall or back, 6 the front wall, and 7 its top, the case being divided into two sections by a vertical partition 8, which forms the inner wall of both sections and is similar in shape to the walls 2- and 3.

The front of the case includes a plane semi-cylindrical in cross section, the lastmentioned section consisting in turn of a stationary lower member 9 and a sliding upper member or door 10, whose opposite ends fit in concentric semi-cylindrical guide ways 11 formed in the inner faces of the walls 2 and 3, and in both faces of the partition 8, while the lower edge of the door registers with a longitudinal opening 12 formed in the front edge of the floor 13 which extends from end to end of the case and occupies a common plane with the centers of the guide ways 11, each section of the case being thus divided into an, upper compartmentfll l and a lower-compartment 15. The dooris secured at each end to the rim 18 of a circular spider or wheel 17 ro tatably mounted upon a pin 18, which pro- The back of each section of the case is provided with pairs of sliding doors 20 and 21 by means of which access may be had to the upper and lower compartments into which the interior of the case is divided, each upper door having a tongue and groove 30 lower section, and a bowed upper section connection with the upper and central rails 22 and 23 and each lower door a similar connection with said central rail and with the rear wall of the base.

As above stated, each sliding door is supported at its opposite ends upon a pair of annual spiders 17, to whose rims the door is attached, each of the spiders being connected at a point diametrically opposite that at which the doori's fastened thereto with a counter-weight 24, this counterweight being in the nature of a horizontal bar which is disposed longitudinally of the case and is attached at its opposite ends to the corresponding spokes of the spiders, the counter-weight being disposedat all times within the lower compartment'of each section of the case.

The sliding movement of each door is eflected by means of an operating lever 25 whose front end extends beneath the lower f edge of the door and is bent. upwardly therearound and is pivoted to a pin 26 secured at opposite ends in a pair of laterallyprojecting spaced ears 27 formed upon a plate 28 secured to the front face of the door. The rear end of each lever projects through an opening formed in the central rail 23 of the back and terminates in a handle 29. By reasonvof this construction, it will be apparent that when the dealer" who stands behind the case moves either lever rearwardly, the door to which" the front end of the lever is connected will be moved downwardly, thus exposing the in terior of the case and permitting the customer to make his selection from the 2 various boxes of cigars contained therein. When such selection has been made, the dealer moves the lever forwardly to its original position, thus closing the door. Each lever is further provided with a pair l of openings 31 and 32 in either of which a l spring catch 30 is designed for engagement, to retain the lever either in its normal or retracted position, or in its projected position, one of said openings being formedthrough the lever near its handle 29,. while the other opening is located a slight distance in advance of the first mentioned opening.

The case may be made in any desired size and of an preferred material, and of any number of sections, each section having a sliding door which is operated by a separate lever. The top, ends and front of the case i are preferably in the form of glass covered frames, the doors having a similar construction, as shown, to permit the contents of both compartments of the case to be visible. 1

The hub 19 of the spider or wheel 17 through which the in 18 projects may, if I referred, be provi ed with an interiorlyocated series of anti-friction bearings.

formed in its inner face; a bowed door having its ends working in said guide-ways and its lower edge registering with the opening in the fioor, said door being capable of movement downwardly through said opening; a rotatably-mounted member located at each end of the floor and havingits outer edge attached to the adjacent end of the door a counter-weight beam connecting said members; an endwise movable lever having its front end secured directly to one edge of the door, and its rear end projecting through an opening formed in the back of the case, for opening and closing j the door; and means located exteriorly of the case and arranged for engagementwith said lever in its projected and in its retracted position, to retain the door in ,its open and in its closed position.

2. A show-case, comprising, in combination, a floor provided adjacent its front edge with a longitudinal slot; an upstanding cross frame located at each end of the gfloor and having an arcuate guide-way formed in its inner face; a bowed door having its ends working in said guide-ways E and its lower edge registering with the opening in the floor, said door being capable of movement downwardly through said opening; a rotatably-mounted member located ,at each end of the floor and having its outer edge attached to the adjacent end of the door; a counter-weight beam connccting said members; an endwise movable lever having its front end secured directly to one edge of the door, and its rear end projecting through an opening formed in" the back of the case for opening and closing the door, said projecting end being pro- Q vided with a pair of openings;-and a spring catch secured to the back of the case and arranged for engagement in said openings, to retain the door in open and closed position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

GEO. CONNER, W. W. DUsoN. 

